Will there be a plane in every Garage

55: 3 7

°CT 2 5 1945

HERE BE A PLANE
IN EVERY GARAGE ?

LIBRARY

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND
VIRGINIA

Btth

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EM 37

ROUNDTABLE

* X-

Prepared for

The United States Armed Forces

by

THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

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WAR DEPARTMENT

Washington 25, D. C„ a Aug 1935.

[A.C. 3O0.7 (8 Aug 45)-l

EM 37. Cl Roundlabtt: Wilt There. Re a Plant in Every Garage?

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WILL

THERE BE A

PLANE IN

EVERY GARAGE ?

CONTENTS

Page

Who is going to fly the planes of tomorrow?.. 1

What will the postwar planes be like? 4

Fs buying a plane just like buying a car? 14

Who's going to provide your ground facilities? 23

Are you physically fit to be a pilot? 28

How should private flying be regulated? . 35

So you're going to fly — or be flown? 37

To the discussion teader 41

For further reading 45

WHO IS GOING TO FLY THE PLANES
OF TOMORROW?

Until Orviixe Wright look off from the earth in 1003 and
twelve seconds Inter landed 120 feel from where he started.
the world's most successful aerial navigator was a joker by
ihe name of Prince Houssain. The prince could go wherever
he wanted through the air — and thai was more than die
Wright brothers or other early birdmen could do.

Of course Honssain, like the Wrights, had a very special
contraption to carry him through spacie. It was a magic carpet,
and in 1.001 Arabian nights there was only one of its kind.
In the light of day (here might not have been even that
many.

No longer, however, is flying through the air the exclusive
privilege of either an imaginary Arabian prince or a couple
of intrepid American inventors. At Kitty hawk the Wright
brothers unlocked the sky to all kinds of hcavicr-rhaii -air

This pamphlet was in press when Japan surrendered, /./hw
appropriate during the war have not been reconverted to peace.

Hying: military airplanes, commercial craft, and personal
planes that anyone can lly.

Ten years alter the war, if Prince lloussain were still
around 10 take a Sunday joy ri<k\ he would probably have
to look sharp to avoid a collision with one of the many planes
we are told will crowd the skyways.

A great deal of thought is being given to these airplanes of
the future — especially to the private planes. Airplane manii
faemrers, airplane designers, and other interested persons are
putting their minds together on the question of what kind
of planes to put on the market once civilian production

starts again.

In all this discussion there is one missing person — the
person lor whom all the planning is being done. YOU are
that person. If you could he on hand the others would lire
questions like the.se at you:

Are you going to fly yourself after the war? For business?
For pleasure? In a plane of your own or in one you will rent?
JIoxo much money aw: you going to put into a plane? Hottf

many seats do you want in it? Do you wani high performance
or maximum safety? Are you serious enough about this to
have wad up on the subject? Have you figured out how an
airplane will fit into your personal life? Have, yon had uny
experience in owning or operating a small plane/ Have you.
tnrcr belonged or would you belong to a flying club? Are
other members of your family interested in flying/

Are you going to turn a plane?

The automobile is one of the most useful machines ever in-
vented by man and it can perform a number of daily ser-
vices that make life easier. Is the private plane in its present
stage of development a very useful article for most people

to own? A plane ran take you from St. Louis to Buffalo, but
it cannot be used for taking the kids to school, your wife
lo the grocery store, or you to your job. In other -words, the
private plane lias the automobile to reckon with. Until pri-
vate planes ran do everything that automobiles can do. and
fly as well, they will not displace the automobile. Not even
the most enthusiastic advocate expects they will.

But the war has given America a close-up view of the
modern airplane. In addition to the considerable number of
private plane owners, there are 75,000 with civilian pilot
licenses who do not own planes, and 3,000.000 young men
engaged in some way in military and naval aviation — nearly
#00,000 of them with pilot training. Not only all these, but
many others, including some of the older generation, will
Want U> learn to fly u^d have the thrill of owning and
operating their own planes.

How much will it cost?

We can quote figures on the prewar cost of buying and
operating a private plane. One estimate indicates that it cost
about $1,000 lo operate a $2,000 airplane for 100 hours a
year. Assuming the life of the plane to be about seven years,
it would cost you a minimum of $9,000 If you keep the plane
that long. For that amount of money you COUld consecu-
tively buy and operate three or Lour good automobiles over
the same period of time.

We have only guesses in go by for the price of and demand
For airplanes of the future. The predictions range anywhere
from 20,000 to -150,000 private planes within five or ten
years after the war. At a guess, most airplanes for personal
use will sell for about §2,000. By comparison, there was a
prewar market for some 50.000 Cadillac automobiles a year
— costing $2,000 apiece. If the price comes down to 5'. 000,

the market will of course expand — nobody knows just how
much.

Whether you are going to have a private plane after the
war depends probably on whether airplane designers and
engineers are able to build a safe, reliable plane that you
can operate; whether you will have money enough to buy
and operate it; whether your community has landing Facili-
ties for private planes; and, most important of all, whether
you can make practical use of an airplane.

WHAT WILL THE POSTWAR PLANES
BE LIKE?

The personal plane of the postwar era will not be a super-
duper Buck Rogerish aerial jalopy, capable of flying in any
direction. What you can expect is a sound, simple, and safe
airplane, built along the lines of the "grasshoppers" and
"Hying jeeps" now being used by the British and American
armies for liaison work and artillery spotting. It will be like
the Taylorcraft, Aeronca, Stin&on, Kairchild, and Piper Cub
planes which were popular before the war, but will carry
the latest improvements thai have been learned from wartime
experience.

These aircraft will combine as high performance as is con-
sistent with reasonable safety, comfort, and cost. They will
be practically foolproof, but not darn-fool proof.

The typical postwar plane for private use will not be much
harder to fly than an automobile is to drive — although the
differences probably will always be considerable. Most pri-
vate planes will probably be about 20 feel long and stand f>
to 10 feet high. They will have single air-cooled engines
averaging about 65 to 75 horsepower for two-place and 125
to 250 horsepower for four- or five-place planes. They will

be capable of climbing about 1,000 feet in 60 seconds, yet
may be landed at safe, slow speeds. Most of the postwar fam-
ily planes will have four seats, since the public seems to favor
that number of accommodations.

All plastic or none?

Many of these planes will have features that are new to the
light-plane field. For instance, they may have retractable
landing gear that increases the speed of the plane as much as
20 to 30 miles an hour, permitting the use of lower horse-
power engines; sound-insulation in the cabin to reduce the
noise from the motor and permit conversation without shout-
ing; controlled cabin heating; plastic domes and larger side
windows, giving the pilot and passengers an unrestricted
view; streamlined fuselages to conform with easy airflow;
and perhaps tricycle landing gear.

Postwar private airplanes will be made of plastic-bonded
veneer, plywood, aluminum, or fabric. Molded plastics and
other types of plastics developed in the war may possibly find
their way into a number of private plane models. The wide-
spread use of plastics in these light planes will depend, how-
ever, upon the size of the market, since plastic dies and molds
are expensive. Unless the production is high, it will be
cheaper to use some other material. Some think that plastics
will reduce the cost of airplanes; others doubt this.

The familiar solid wood propeller is cheap and lightweight.
It will be standard equipment on most of the private air-
planes. However, variable pitch, automatically controlled,
metal propellers will be available to those who can afford
them.

The familiar types

Private planes will probably be of three general types, each

designed for a particular group of private flyers and built
lo meet their requirements.

First, there will be airplanes of conventional design but
With greatly improved reliability and performance. These
private aircraft will tarry from two to eight passengers, and
travel at speeds of from 90 to 200 miles an hour, with a
cruising range of 100 to 600 miles. Some of them will have
twin engines, but the majority will be single-engine planes.
In price, they may range from $l,. r >()0 to $20,000. These
planes will be ideal for the live-wire aviation enthusiasts who
use their planes for sport, recreation, or business.

Next, there will be medium-priced, medium-performance
"armchair" planes. They will be slower and less maneuver-
able, but simpler and safer so fly. Tins type of plane was
developed before the war, and is designed for the average
amateur aviator, who is less interested in die iincT points
of flying than in getting about for a Sunday spin or a short
cross-country trip. These planes do not stall or spin. They
get their spin proof characteristics through "two control"
operation, instead of three. This means that the ailerons and
•■udder controls are synchronized and rudder pedals elim-
inated. 1'Ajtiipped with tricycle landing gear, they are easy to
get off the ground and to land. Aircraft of this type will
carry two or more passengers at speeds of Erorn 90 lo MO
miles an hour. They will probably cost from SI. 500 to
Slu.000 — with the great majority of the planes at the lower
price levels.

Pusher planes

A modern version of the airplane which Orville and Wil-
bur Wright Hew at Kittyhawk may be offered on the postwar
private plane market. This is the pusher plane, on which
the propeller faces to the rear, behind the pilot and passenger

cabin. There arc no engines or profilers out front to hinder
the view when Hying, and the danger of someone getting
tangled up in the whirling propeller blades when the plane
is on the ground is greatly reduced. In other respects— per-
formance, construction, and cost— the pusher plane is quite
similar to the conventional planes just mentioned.

Water birds

If yon are nautically minded, you'll probably have your eye
on a flying boat or an amphibian plane. Amphibians have
the advantage of being at home on land or water. This gives
I he owner a wider choice than a land plane does of home
base and places to visit.

Although they are more costly than land planes of cor-
responding power or capacity, all-metal amphibians may
prove popular wilh men who use their planes for business
nips. The higher cost may be justified by the plane's utility
value.

Most amphibians will have two motors, cruise at around
I 10 miles an hour, and fly as high as I5,f)00 feet. The cabin
of one of these planes will be the miniature of a big airliner
cabin, accommodating a pilot and several passengers. Then-
will be ample space for baggage, salesman's sample cases, or

what you will. In fact, it would lie* possible for one man to
set up housekeeping in the cabin.

Landplanes, like those mentioned above, can readily l>e
converted into seaplanes by taking off the landing sear and
substituting pontoons or floats. Although floats arc not cheap,
a converted landplane is less expensive than an amphibian.

The unfamiliar types

Finally there will be the more revolutionary types of air-
craft. These include helicopters, jet-propelled planes, rocket
ships, and cars that fly or readable airplanes with folding or
detachable wings which are at home either in the air or on
the ground. Engineering problems still remain to be solved
before these new types can be offered to private airplane
buyers. It is probable that at least live or ten years will pass
before any of this group finds widespread use.

For many years aeronautical engineers and designers have
been toying with ideas for an automobile that can fly or a
plane that can be driven along highways- Kvenrually this
very desirable hybrid may be born. To date, however, the
results have been contraptions that were neither very good
automobiles nor very good planes. In roadability, comfort.

and safely they did not meet automotive standards. The extra
weight of four wheels, power transmission, and other parts
needed for ground travel seriously handicapped their per-
formance in the air.

One of the most practical ideas advanced in this field has
been an automobile, which looks more like a plane fuselage
on wheels than a present-day car, fitted with detachable
wings which can be stored at the airport, leaving the car free
to be driven home.

Sunday supplement airplanes

If private airplanes could take advantage of all the techno-
logical advancements coming out of the Avar, the result would
probably be a craft driven by a stream of gas at speeds as
high as 550 miles an hour. It might recall fantastic Sunday
supplement pictures of future planes.

Il would be a jet-propelled plane, looking something like
a (loss between the P-38 LiglUning and ilit- 1* !0 War hawk.
It would be equipped with electronic amicollision devices
and television screens that would make possible a perfect
three-point landing in dense fog. It would have a push-
button radio for instrument Hying. The plane would accom-
modate four persons in comfortable chairs, whose positions
could be adjusted to suit the passengers' whims.

Such a plane, with possibly an engine instead of a jet-
propelled unit, seems to be what the American public dreams
of in peacetime private planes. Its cost, however, would place
it well beyond the reach of all except the most wealthy en-
thusiasts.

What's the truth about helicopters?

Right about here someone usually asks, "What about heli-
copters?"

The helicopter has a future, there's no doubt about that. Its
basic principle has been demonstrated to be feasible. Recog-
nized authorities agree, however, that certain engineering
problems remain to be solved before a practical helicopter
can be put on the market for family purchase. This will re-
quire perhaps ten years of research and development, per-
haps less. At any rate,, don't expect to go down and pick out
)our helicopter on V-Day — engineers have a lot more work
to do on ii before its ready for merchandising.

The helicopter can be either n useful everyday convenience
or a luxury — depending on where you live. If your home
is in a suburban or rural district, the helicopter can lake you
loand horn work daily in comfort and with speed. You won't
j;et tied up in a traffic jam or have to slop for red lights or
wait for a ferryboat. You will not need an elaborate landing
held. Any level plot of ground 50 feet in diameter will suf-
fice. This plot need not be adjacent to your helicopter garage.
It can be several blocks away, for it is thought that helicop-
ters will be built no that they can be driven along streets for
.vhort distances. Naturally, if you live in a city or congested
area you will not find everyday use for the helicopter. You
might use it lor pleasure trips over the week end or holidays.
In this case your helicopter will be a luxury.

Will helicopters replace small planes?

From the standpoint of operating economy, the helicopter
has every advantage over conventional airplanes of like size.
The owner must be willing, however, to forego speed for low
operation eost. While the helicopter can be used for cross
country travel, it moves through the air at comparatively
slow speeds— the top being about 150 miles an hour. The
conventional private plane will get you over long hops faster.
Today, the best engineering brains and powerful financial

10

interests are pushing the development of tlic helicopter. It is
impossible to predict what the outcome may be.

Luxurious cabin furnishings, upholstered seats, roll-down
windows* and most of the conveniences found in the better
automobiles will probably be incorporated in the helicop-
ter. Four-passenger helicopters, completely furnished, and
equipped with 300- to 400-horsepower engines, will sell for
around $10,900. The nominal price tag on the two-passenger
utility helicopter has been estimated to be about $5,000. If
there is a big demand for the "Hying .windmill" the price
may go even lower.

In addition to small, private-model helicopters, larger ones
capable of carrying 40 persons, powered by 2,500-horscpowcr
engines, and with rotors (the windmill-like propellers over-
head) that cut 70- foot arcs, are in the realm of possibility.

The biggest technical problems that hold back, the devel-
opment of the helicopter are: vibrations of the rotors and of
the smaller propeller on the tail; the automatic stability of
the craft; and the speed and load in relation to the horse-
power required. It is also said to have poor performance at
high altitudes.

Is it easy to fly a helicopter?

The experts disagree on whether helicopters are or will be
easy for ordinary persons to learn to fly. On the one hand are
the manufacturers, one of whom has announced postwar pro-
duction of a helicopter sedan that he says will be easier to
operate than many automobiles. Another, while he doesn't
think helicopters will be any easier to fly than standard
planes, believes that any good motorist can learn how to do it.
This second manufacturer points out that the beginner
need lift the machine only a few inches off the ground at
first in order to move around slowly and cautiously. In this

12

way he ran gain skill and confidence gradually and without
risk.

On the other side of the argument are such men as GTover
Loening, chairman of the helicopter committee of the Na-
tional Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. According to
Mr. Loening, the helicopter is. an even more professional
apparatus than the airplane. He believes that for the next
few years it wiB he limited to use by professional pilots and
aviation companies. ""It is not at all a vehicle to be placed in
the hands of the public/' Mr. Loeniii" contends, and he states
that helicopters are hard to learn to fly.

Helicopters, lie predicts, will be bought by companies
who will hire pilots to fly them for exploration work and to
carry personnel and goods to inaccessible places. The United
Slates Coast Guard is almost certain to have over !)0 percent
of its future air ileet in the form of helicopters.

Will the helicopter replace the automobile?

The helicopter will do many things that it is impossible for
a car to do, and it will do tunny things that the car can do,
only much better. It can land almost anywhere, even on
swamp) marsh land or on water (with rubber bag floats).
Where it can't land, as in thick forests or on rough, rocky
terrain, it can hover in mid-air a few feet over the spot and
lower a rope ladder by means of which you can reach the
ground.

On the other hand, it would not be practical lor you to
jump into a helicopter and flit down to a newsstand a few-
blocks away to pick up a Sunday paper. You'd be better off
using an automobile on such a trip through city streets. The
auto and the helicopter supplement each other very well.
You can use your car in crowded congested urban areas and
your helicopter for all other travel.

13

Disregarding cost, which would you rather have, a conven-
tional airplane, a helicopter, or a flying boat? Why? Should
the. helicopter be limited lo usage by professional pilots? Do
you think that the helicopter will replace the automobile
Private plane? If you knew that you would have to wait five.
years before you could buy a helicopter, would you invest in
a conventional airplane in the meantime or wait until the
helicopter is ready?

IS BUYING A PLANE JUST LIKE
BUY INC A CAR?

Roving a private plane is a loi like buying a car, except
that for your own sake you ought 10 be more critical of a
plane than of a car. There are some aircraft salespeople who
may try to pass off a defective plane al a bargain price.
realizing that you are an amateur and probably won't discover
the fault until later. Jl the fault results in the failure of some
part of the ship while you are flying, it may he too late for
you! The majority of airplane distributors, however, arc
reputable, and they like to deal with intelligent people who
ask questions and demand demonstrations be I ore they buy.
II flying is comparatively new for you, it's a good idea to

invite someone who knows aboul planes lo go along With
you when you shop for a plane, lie mi^lit be your Hying
instructor, an accredited airplane mechanic, or an experi-
enced airman. Be guided by his suggestions.

You'll be better off if you buv a new plane built by a
well-known linn. II something goes wrong, they'll be more
likely to make £o«xI and it will be easier for you to get Stand-
ard replacement parts. Beware of homemade or rebuilt
planes.

14

Why do you want a plane?

Before you start shopping for an airplane, decide what you
want in the way of shape, size, weight, performance, and seat-
ing capacity. The best way to begin is to ask yourself, "What
am I going to use this plane for?"

If you are going to be a "Sunday flyer," and do most of
your flying on week ends near home, you will probably invest
in a low-cost, low-horsepower plane that will have a cruising
speed of about 100 miles an hour and a range of about 200
miles.

If you plan to use your plane for cross-country trips, for
business, vacation, or week ends at grandfather's place in the
country, you'll want more speed, greater range, and larger
carrying capacity. The (lying machine you might buy will be
moderately large in size and have a cruising speed of about
130 miles an hour and a minimum range of !>00 miles be-
tween refuel rugs. Too Frequent slops lor fuel seriously cut
clown the average speed of an airplane on cross-country trips.
If you plan to fly for business, you'll probably have to spend
$5,000 or mote for your plane and be ready to pay high
maintenance costs, operating expenses, and insurance rates.

15

If you're going to do a lot of cross-country flying, you'll
probably want radio equipment, which is not included in
any standard medium-priced personal aircraft. On normal
operations, you will then be able to receive take-off and
landing information from airport control towers and other
information from the airways radio to help you in your Bight.
In Dying through a storm, your radio will bring you weather
reports. In emergencies, radio-signal direction finders oper-
ated by the Federal Communications Commission can estab-
lish your location if you get lost.

You must have radio equipment to land at air terminals
where commercial airliners make scheduled stops, unless
you are forced to land in an emergency. Radio communica-
tion with the control tower in such airports is necessary to
the smooth handling of air traffic. Through radio, planes are
notified where and when they are to land, when they should
take off, and what runway to use.

Think before you buy

Safety, comfort, practicability, performance, and good looks
arc going to be the chief points that airplane salesmen will
use to induce you to buy.

When you think of seating capacity, don't forget to con-
sider the number of persons in your family. If theie are three
in your household and you buy a two-seater, someone will
always have to be left on the ground.

Twin booms, like those in the Lockheed P-38 fighter
plane, will be offered on some planes instead of the more
conventional long fuselage. In this type the twin booms carry
the tail control and stabilizing surfaces. When the wing is
fastened to the bottom of the fuselage to give a low-wing
design, a very safe plane results. Pusher planes of this design,
where the engine is centered in the rear of the cabin so that

16

the twin booms build a fence ground the propeller, have mi
added safety feature. The booms protect bystanders from
serious injury in the blades of a whirling propeller when the
airplane is on the ground.

It is important that the pilot's visibility be good, From a
comfortable, relaxed position in the pilot's seat, you should
be able to see above, below, far back on at least one side, and
of course directly ahead. The better tlic visibility, the easier
it will be for you to control your plane and the less will be
I he chances of collision. Ample visibility for the passengers
is important, too. If they can look out of the plane con-
veniently, they'll enjoy the trip more.

Additional safety features may be: two instead of three
controls; dual controls, so that either person in the front
pair of seats can pilot the plane; and flaps, known as high-lift
devices. The latter act as a sort of supplementary wing, per-
mitting the pilot to take oil and land at a lower ground speed
- thus with greater safety.

Vour plane will come equipped with all the flight and
navigational instruments necessary for its safe operation.
These include compass, altimeter, turn and bank indicator,
airspeed indicator, fuel gauge, and clock. If you plan on
buying additional instruments, invest in a rate-of-climb indi
cator, artificial horizon, and directional gyro. They'll be most
helpful to you.

The power plant

The engine in your plane should be of the approved type,
which means that it has passed stringent factory and govern-
ment tests. You must be able to rely upon your engine, ff it
should fail in the air you might have a serious crack-up, or at
the very least a forced landing.

You should check the following desirable characteristics

17

of aircraft engines, before you buy. First, low weight per
horsepower. The engine should not weigh more than four
pounds per horsepower.

Second, quick response. By actual demonstration see that
the engine functions smoothly over a wide range of speeds
at various altitudes and that it responds promptly to speed
changes from idling to full power.

Third, economy of fuel and oil consumption — a factor of
great importance. This is desirable from the standpoint of
reducing the weight of fuel to be carried and keeping the
cost of operation as low as possible.

Fourth, freedom from dangerous vibration. Engine vibra-
tioir, if excessive, imposes unnecessary strains on the entire
airplane and may cause breakage of pipes, tubes, and wires,
as well as discomfort to the passengers. Vibration of the
plane's instruments may seriously affect their accuracy. The
engine should be well balanced and comparatively free from
vibration at all operating speeds.

Grasshoppers for sale; Uncle Sam 9 prop.

Surplus stocks of small liaison planes and trainers that have
been doing war jobs for the Army, Navy, and the Civil Air
Patrol are being sold to civilian purchasers now. More of
them may be available soon after the war is over. With their
drab warpaint hidden- beneath gay rainbow colors, some of
these surplus Taylorcraft, Sanson, Cub, and Fairchild air-
craft may be as good and as much in demand as new private
aircraft. But don't expect to be able to buy one for a song.

Some of them may be in top condition when the govern-
ment puts them up for sale. They may he more airworthy
and more reliable in engine and instrument accessories than
they were when Uncle Sam bought them new. In many cases
the planes are being sold with very expensive instruments

in

and other equipment installed especially for wartime use and
which arc not to be removed before they are sold.

This does not necessarily mean they will be more air-
worthy or reliable or better buys than a brand-new plane.
These little planes live a rugged life under GI colors, and
in many cases are sold "as is." Only planes that tip the scales
at more than 5,000 pounds are checked over before disposal
by die service branch which has used them.

Engineers of the Civil Aeronautics Administration exam-
ine every type of plane declared surplus by the armed forces
to determine whether it is airworthy according to CAA
standards. Airworthiness means it is safe for operation in
civilian hands.

Some of these planes arc so close to civilian standards —
many of them came right off civilian assembly lines— that
no changes will be necessary. Others, built or rebuilt to mili-
tary specifications, will require certain changes to meet estab-
lished civilian standards of safety. CAA engineers will de-
termine what these changes are as to each type.

Individual airplanes of that type, however, may need spe-
cific repairs in addition to these changes to conform to air-
worthiness requirements. In some instances, thus, the pur-
chaser may have to make minor alterations, specified by CAA
engineers, before a license can be issued.

Now — or later?

Small airplane manufacturers view the sale of more and
more of these planes by Uncle Sam as a threat to their busi-
ness in the immediate postwar era. It has been suggested that
the government restrict the sale of such planes to schools
and colleges and public or federal aviation training pro-
grams. These organizations need aircraft to use in instruct-
ing the future engineers, pilots, mechanics, and technicians

20

who will keep American aviation ahead of the rest of the
world. If the sales of such planes are limited in this way, air-
plane manufacturers will not have to wait a year or two until
a substantial market for new aircraft begins to develop and
will have a chance to develop their business in an open
market.

If, on the other hand, airplane manufacturers are forced
to wait a year or two, they might benefit from the time by
devoting their entire efforts to the improvement of their
planes and the development of new types of personal air-
craft. Then, when they are ready to display their wares before
the public, they will be able to offer planes of much greater
utility.

On&4hird douru a year to pay

If you want to buy a new airplane or a used warplanc under
a time-linancing plan, the banks are ready to offer you an in-
stallment plan, as well as special financing services for other
pha$£g of aviation.

One Pacific Coast bank has the following plan for the
purchaser of a $1,500 private airplane. He can pay one-third

21

down and the balance in twelve monthly installments of
$103.50, making a total of $1,742. These payments also
cover $183 worth of insurance and finance charges total-
ing $59.

Other plans being offered include time financing foi stu-
dent, pilot, or mechanic training and financing arrange-
ments between manufacturers and distributors. Under the
latter program, persons interested in becoming aircraft deal-
ers are established financially and provided with planes to
sell.

How long will you keep your plane?

On the average, one individual owns a plane for three and
a half years — according to studies made by the Civil Aero-
nautics Administration. This is about half the useful life of
the private plane. In many cases private planes change hands
every year or so.

In the prewar days many people learned to fly, bought air-
planes, and then discovered that the upkeep was too great.
too much time was spent in getting back and forth from the
airport, and that Hying had not proved as useful as they
expected. They sold their planes and in many instances gave
up flying. Cost of maintaining and operating a private plane
has always been the main consideration in its purchase. How-
ever, this cost must be weighed against the value received.
Undoubtedly, in many cases the owners mentioned above
could have cut their other expenses sufficiently to carry on
their flying if they had believed it was important or neces-
sary to their way of living.

As the utility value of an airplane increases, more people
will buy planes and will keep them longer. If ihe airplane
becomes a necessity, a person's income bracket will not be
die main factor in determining whether he can buy a plane

27

and keep it. In a recent survey of one hundred airplane
owners in one part of the country it was revealed that their
average annual income was $2,200.

Would you purchase a used war plane for your private
flying machine ij you could buy a new plane? Should most
of the used war planes on sale be restricted to institutions
providing instruction for aeronautical trainees? Should war
veterans who want to purchase private aircraft be able to
buy them at a reduced price? Would this privilege be abused
by some who might buy planes for resale at a profit? Will
installment plans for the purchase of aircraft get more people
interested in flying?

WHO'S GOING TO PROVIDE YOUR
GROUND FACILITIES?

Unquf.stionablv, many people will want to use planes in
the peace years to come who will not be able to afford planes
of their own, or if they can buy planes, will have no air park
or facility from which to operate them. Group or community
cooperation may be the answer for such people.

One solution to both these problems is the formation of
aviation clubs. A few individuals can organize a flying club
and purchase one or more planes for the exclusive use of
the members. In this way they can enjoy flying at a lower
cost to all than if each bought his own plane and had to bear
the initial cost and maintenance. Those persons who own
planes or are thinking of buying planes for themselves, but
who have no convenient airport, may form a club lor the
purchase of a suitable place to land. Usually a reasonably
Hat field 2,500 feet long by 100 feet wide can be located near
any community. Grading and sodding can he done incx-

23

pensively and a hangar can be built for the use of all mem-
bers. Upkeep costs would have to he met through dues and
assessments and from the profits of the sale of gasoline and
lubricating oil.

Those persons who want to fly but who do not want to
spend a lot of money will find that they can rent planes from
" Fly- Yourself" services or from Hying clubs which will have
several types of planes available. An added advantage of
renting a plane is that, as you become a more expert pilot,
you will he able to rent the next larger class of plane. You
won't find yotrrsclf, with a plane on your hands, wishing for
a larger one. Operators with several planes for hire will find
that they can make a good living where the competition is
not too heavy.

Airports are necessary

As a motor boa l needs a dock or place to anchor, so a plane
needs an airport. Facilities for landing private planes in
America arc not yet built and private Hying cannot succeed
until there are ground spaces and proper landing facilities.
At the present time only 3,000 airports are available for land-
ing private planes, many of questionable usefulness because
of poor location or because they are congested with commer-
cial planes. Thousands more will be needed to serve the
IG.752 communities in which the major population of the
United Stales lives.

Both the aircraft industry and government agencies are
urging communities to develop air parks for the exclusive
use of nonscheduled or personal aircraft. These air parks
are constructed with runways laid out in the shape of an X,
T, L, or V. The cost of such projects has been estimated
to lie somewhere between $25,000 and $500,000, depending
upon the terrain, amount of drainage, soil preparation, and

25

whether the runways arc built of turf or hard-surfacing ma-
terials—such as asphalt or concrete.

Air parks should be located conveniently for the traveler,
businessman, and ordinary flyer. If possible, they should be
near a terminal airport so that persons can park their planes
and go aboard airliners for trips to distant points, just as
you park your car at a railroad station and climb aboard a
train today.

If'* a community fob

The building of an air park is ordinarily n community
project, undertaken as a public improvement just as city
streets and parks arc. Funds for the air park can come from
the city treasury or be secured by public subscription. At the
beginning the air park cannot even be considered as self-
supporting. However, it should eventually pay for itself
through taxes on the sale of gasoline and rentals from private
enterprises located on the air-park grounds, such as Iiangars,
repair shops, restaurants, and airplane salesrooms.

It cannot be expected to pay for itself as rapidly as did the
public highway system, since it may be some time before pri-
vate airplane traffic brings in as high revenue as automobile
traffic docs today. When the airplane begins to reach the
utility value of the automobile, air parks will begin to pay
for themselves.

Each community must determine whether or not it is
justified in spending $25,000 or more of its citizens' money
for an air park. From the point of view of the community,
there arc a number of important advantages in having an air
park. With lots of air parks scattered over the country, air-
plane owners can travel and vacation and see the sights when-
ever and wherever they happen to feel like going. An air
park promotes commuting between cities. It offers to visitors,

26

kiii*F\ b?i*$rfr&

professional men, and businessmen a rapid way of coming
and going. It may eventually become a valuable necessity to
business activities and commerce.

If it is the only air facility in the community, it will pro
vide a place for on-the-spot aviation education and a head
quarters for ever-ready aerial ambulance service for cmer
gencies, It may be expanded later to a full airport, connecting
with national air routes. It will provide more jobs in the com
m unity both during its construction and afterward, broaden
individual horizons, and stimulate greater community inter
est on die part of its citizens.

Hour can the utility value of personal airplane* be in-
creased? Is the expenditure of public funds for air parks
justifiable? Should the state or federal goverranent provide
funds for local air parks?

ARE YOV PHYSICALLY FIT TO BE
A PILOT?

When the fighting ends, some 250,000 or more Army and
Navy pilots are going to begin coming back from the war
fronts, most of them eager to continue their Hying, A large
percentage of them will he young men of college age or even
younger, and while many will be immediate prospects for
personal planes, relatively few will have enough money to
buy airplanes of their own.

Even though they could afford a $1,500 plane, pilots accus-
tomed to the speed and performance of a B-2a Mitchell
bomber or a P-38 Lightning may find that flying a GO-horse-
power private airplane is pretty dull.

li has been suggested ih;tt the government sell its surplus
lighter planes to these veterans of the air at about 10 percent
of their cost. But this scheme just won't work out. The pur-
chase price of the average fighter plane would run around
$1,000 and its 1 ,000-horscpowcT motors drink up some 100-
gallons of expensive high octane fuel in less than 60 min-
utes. Only independently wealthy ex-servicemen could afford
to buy and maintain such planes.

While it is not practical to sell fighter planes to veterans,
it is very imjxMtant that we do not allow these highly trained
pilots to lose their skill. For we must depend on them to pre-
vent our air power from ever again becoming woefully in-
adequate.

Two practical ways have been suggested in which ex-war-
plane pilots can be kept in the air. They could be put on a
reserve status, with military planes available for their use,
or they could buy flying time from commercial schools and
be reimbursed l>y the government for a certain number of
flying hours each week.

Are war pilots safe flyers?

Many service pilots have never received civilian pilot train
ing. All their air education has been in the aerial acrobatics
of combat Hying. This is not permitted in the skies over
America, where it might endanger civilian lives and property.

Under an official Army Air Force policy, combat and air
crews will be required to take training courses in the prin-
ciples of flying safety and civil air traffic rules after they re-
turn from overseas and before they are reassigned to active
duty. These special courses are now going on at redistribu-
tion centers on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Com-
menting upon the new policy, General Arnold remarked,
"Flying safety in this country shall have first consideration,
and unsafe flying habits acquired in combat must be for-
gotten."

Returning military pilots are eager to fly, and private
plane owners often urge them to fly their planes regardless
of their inability to handle such slow and low-powered air-
craft after months of flying high-speed military planes.
Enough nonmilitary accidents have resulted to make it nee-

essary for the CAA to require returning pilots to prove their
complete adequacy for the type of flying involved.

Any service pilot who has not flown a certain type of plane
in three months is now required to make live take-offs and
landings before he can take up a passenger. If he has not
had solo experience within six months, he must take a check
flight with an instructor.

To prevent fighter pilots from stepping into the cockpits
of commercial airliners and taking up passengers on the
strength of their war record, civil air regulations now require
the service pilot to prove that his military pilot rating is
equal to the type and grade of pilot certificate he seeks. He
must submit a certificate from the appropriate officer prov-
ing his experience and competency as a military pilot. In
addition, he is required to pass a written examination on
civil air regulations and must have a certificate of honorable
discharge from the military service.

The importance of being healthy

The human body is best adapted to conditions on the ground.
Some of these conditions change when man goes up into the
air. In flying through a sea of air, you are subjected to vari-
ous forces and conditions. You move through space at vary-
ing speeds and at all angles. The engine of your plane pro-
duces constant vibrations and much noise. If you are going
to fly, you must be able to tolerate these conditions, and
that means you must be physically fit every lime you fly.

Unless a pilot keeps physically fit, he is likely to have a
fatal Hying accident sooner or later. Commercial airlines,
military (lying organizations, and oilier organized flying
groups keep close watch over the health of their flying per-
sonnel, requiring them to take periodic physical checkups e:
placing them under regular medical supervision.

30

Since there is no means of checking up on the flying health
of private flyers regularly, the flyer himself must take the
responsibility for maintaining physical Jitness,

More than half the 17,050 air accidents during the period
between 1028 and L937 were officially attributed to "error
of the pilot." Year after year, pilot error is the most outstand-
ing cause of air accidents. The principal reasons for it, ac-
cording to the CAA, are lack of experience and physical and
psychological causes.

Defective vision, poor judgment of distance, unconscious
ness, hysterics, air sickness, and the inability to withstand
altitude arc only a few of the causes that may lead to such
accidents as overshooting the field, faulty landing, or colli
sion- Temporary illness, such as a bad cold, or fatigue may
cause poor reaction on the part of the pilot and result in an
accident.

I'rivaic pilots must be intelligently aware of their own
physical shortcomings, such as susceptibility to colds, sinusi-
tis, constipation, hay fever, hiccups, headaches, jaundice,
kidney and bladder diseases, neuralgia* neuritis, high blood
pressure, all of which lower his flying efficiency. For mosl
new pilots this means adjusting daily routine to better health
habits.

It is a good idea for a beginner to consult a doctor or a
Bight surgeon before his training has progressed very far — it
may save his life.

What happens to you when you fly?

Since most private flyers will not be operating aircraft ai
altitudes above 8,000 feet, they need not be concerned with
the problems of lack of oxygen, low pressures, and subzero
temperatures encountered at higher levels. Change in alti-
tude, turbulent or rough air, and change of speed are the

-

31

factors which will have the most effect on the average private
flyer.

The cars and digestive system arc affected when you
ascend or descend. The eardrums may feci queer because
the change in air pressure is not quickly equalized on both
sides of the eardrum, a sometimes painful condition that
can usually be remedied by swallowing. During a rapid
climb, pilots and passengers are sometimes made uncomfort-
able by distention of the intestines due to expansion oE
confined gases- At a normal climb of 1,000 feet a minute this
condition may usually be avoided.

Rough weather sometimes causes airsickness, a condition
similar to seasickness, and nausea. Lack of sleep, drinking ol
alcoholic beverages, and a disordered stomach frequently
contribute to susceptibility to such illness. Pilots who are
physically tired or fatigued should never fly, except in case
of emergency. Intoxicants such as liquor should not be taken
for at least 24 hours before or during flight by pilot or
passengers. Alcohol docs not mix with gasoline in the air any
better than it does on the ground.

After a period of high-speed flying the fiyes frequently
lose their ability to judge height correctly. \ wise precaution
before landing a plane, particularly lor novice pilots, is to
circle the field at 500 feet.

32

Do you measure up?

If you are physically lit and are willing to learn, you can be
taught 10 fly the conventional private aircraft If you arc not
physically lit, however, that does not mean that flying is out
of ihc picture for you. It docs mean that you'll have to work
harder so that your weaknesses can be remedied to a point
where you can become n safe pilot.

11 you have a tendency to be cocky, reckless, and stubborn:,
you should use a little will power and sensible reasoning to
cultivate modesty, care, and open mindedness — characteris-
tics thai virtually all the best pilots possess.

When you apply for a student pilot rating, yon will have
to pass a medical examination. You will not be required to sit
in a spinning chair, since the examination does not require
that you be a superman. It is given to discover whether you
have any physical defect that might suddenly incapacitate you
in the air.

Handicapped persons can fly

The loss of a limb, limitation of motion in joints, and the
wasting of muscles need not keep any ex-service pilot or
civilian from enjoying the pleasures of Hying his own plane,
if he can prove his ability to lly safely.

In an effort to extend the benefits of Hying to still more
persons, a new CAA ruling has been made. Under it, physi-
cally handicapped persons may obtain student and private
pilot certificates without going through the long-drawn-out
procedures heretofore required. The applicant's medical cer-
tificate lor i he license bears a notation of his defect, if he is
otherwise qualified.

The applicant's instructor decides when he incompetent to
make a solo (light. Later, he takes a Bight examination from a

33

CAA flight inspector in order to quality for a private pilot's
certi ficatc-

Uncler the new ruling, structural defects and not physical
conditions due to active diseases are recognized. The admin
istrator of the CAA may limit the physically handicapped
pilot to the operation of certain makes and models of
planes, certain general types of planes, or to planes suitably
remodeled lor the individual concerned.

If there is an increase in accidents involving structurally
handicapped persons who have been permitted to get certifi-
cates to fly, the CAA was wrong in making this new ruling.
However, before the ruling was made, extensive successful
tests were run to determine whether or not handicapped
persons could qualify lor private pilots' certilkcates.

No matter how well a plane is designed, or how carefully
it is built, an instant's thoughtlessness at the wrong moment
or gross neglect of its mechanical needs can turn the plane
into an instrument of death for its pilot and passengers. A
handicapped person in good health is no more likely to be
guilty of these fatal errors than is a person of sound body.

Should returning service pilots he required to take addi-
tional training and prove their ability to fly small phnies as
is now required under CAA rulings and the AAF reassign-
ment policy? What .steps might be taken io prevent returning
pilots from losing their /lying skills? Should private pilots he
required to take frequent medical checkups such as those
given regularly to airline pilots? What can he done to pre-
vent private pilots from flying While intoxicated, ill* or
fatigued? Will the advent of private flying help to improve
public health? Should doctors in training be required to
take courses in aviation medicine?

34

HOW SHOULD PRIVATE FLYING BE
REGULATED?

Further relaxation of governmental regulations to provide
more freedom for the development of private Hying has been
urged l>y many organizations, spearheaded by the Personal
Aircraft Council of the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce,
an organization made up of airplane and aviation products
manufacturers. In general, the efforts of this group are di-
rected toward reshaping the rules and regulations governing
persona] aircraft to follow those now governing the automo-
bile industry.

"The aulo industry has achieved world leadership in de-
sign and production practice through industry initiative, un-
hampered by Government regulation." the Personal Aircraft
Council points out in a recent statement of proposed policy
on the subject.

The task of regulating airplanes and pilots is the job of
I lie Civil Aeronautics Board and the CAA, These official
government groups point out that licensing aircraft and
certifying pilots is more necessary than licensing automobiles
and their drivers. For public safety and the protection of
properly, airplanes must he airworthy and pilots must be
competent.

It is illegal for anyone to fly a plane today without a cer-
tificate or a permit authorizing him to do so. In addition, it is
against the law to Hy any civil aircraft before the plane has
proved safe in design and Structure and been issued an air-
worthiness ccrtilicate by the CAA.

The Personal Aircraft Council believes that the present
airworthiness requirements have added to the price of per-
sonal aircraft far out of proportion with actual safety needs.
The Council suggests that the trend should be to rely more

35

on the manufacturer's responsibility for design and produc-
tion practice and less on the government.

Such a change in regulations would definitely limit the
CAA as a centralized authority for careful checking on the
design, structure, and testing of new aircraft to see that these
planes conform with the safety and performance standards.
Every CAA rule was incorporated in the regulations only.
presumably, after careful study and proof that it would in-
crease safety and improve performance. These regulations and
rules arc continuously being amended by the CAA and CAB
in a sincere effort to be of help to those who fly.

Who says you can fly?

"It should be the right of any American to obtain a pilot's
certificate with no greater difficulty than in getting an auto
driver's license." the Personal Aire raft Council recommended.
Its report proposed that the right to pilot an aircraft should
depend only on an applicant's proof of ability to fly the plane
with reasonable skill. In addition he would have to pass a
written test based upon an established set of questions and
answers covering the things a pilot should know.

Under the present regulations an applicant for a private
pilot's certificate must he of good character, he able to read
and speak Knglish, be free from any physical delect that would
prevent the safe operation of aircraft under normal condi-
tions, and be at least 17 years old. The applicant must make a
satisfactory score on a written examination covering air traf-
fic rules for contact flying and general rules of operation. In
addition to at least 10 hours of instruction and 80 hours ol
logged solo time, the applicant must be able to make normal
take-offs, turns, and landings, as well as successfully complete
a series of prescribed maneuvers which demonstrate his ability
to pilot aircraft.

36

As a means for keeping the safety record of aviation high,
should physically handicapped persons be denied I he right to
fly? Should manufacturers of private aircraft be permitted to
decide whether their planes are airajorthy or not r or should
CAA inspection and licensing he continued? Were the previ-
ous rules governing certification of pilots so strict that they
would have slowed up the progress of private flying? Have
they been relaxed too much? Should any pilot be permitted
to give flying lessons without charging a fee?

SO YOU'RE GOING TO FLY—
OR BE FLOWN?

After the war, private plane owners will be confronted
with making a choice of traveling via air transport or flying
their own planes, when doing cross-country Hying.

Flying over the airways on a long cross-country hop in
your own plane may become a tiring and even hazardous job,
unless you have two-way radio equipment and an automatic
pilot that takes over the job of flying the plane from time to
time when yon want to relax, and unless you plan to make
the trip in easy stages-
Setting out to make a flight in your own plane from Co-
lumbus, Ohio, to New York City, you would first have to
check in at the control tower at Columbus and announce
your flight plan to the traffic control officer, giving him the
time ol departure, your destination, the route to be followed,
and the speed and altitude at which you plan to fly. After
receiving weather data and being cleared for take-off, you
climb up to the predetermined altitude, probably 5,000 feet,
At Pittsburgh, you probably land and refuel before flying
over the mountains. Again you have to check in at the con-
trol, file your flight plan, and get another clearance before

37

taking off. Once over the mountains, you may find the
weather rough at 5,000 feet, and wish to ascend to 7,000
feet. Bqfoxe doing this you have to contact the Pittsburgh
control lower by radio and receive permission.

Once in the New York control area, you have to report
your presence to the control tower at the held where you
expect to land and notify them of your expected arrival time.
Upon making a landing, you would have to check in at the
control tower and let them know when you plan to make your
departure.

Itetter lake some money along too

The cost of such a trip is greater than the cost of just the fuel
and oil that are needed to make the trip. You will have to pa\
from $10 up for the privilege of making a landing at any air-
port, except emergency landing fields. If you By yourself, and
carry no passengers, the cost may be greater than airline lare.

Ol course, if you are taking a vacation trip with the fam-
ily, which means that you are not in too much of a hurry, it
will be less expensive to make the trip in your own plane,
if you can accommodate everyone.

Other determining factors which should help you decide
whether you are going to My yourself or he down arc: weather
conditions (if weather is bad you'd be better off in a com
mercial airliner); airport facilities at the other end (check
to sec if you can land near where you want lo go, for some-
times airports ate closed to private Hyers- or for repairs); and
route (if you have to cross broad expanses of water in a laud-
plane you'd be safer to fly in a commercial plane).

If you want speed, you will have lo rely on the commercial
airliner, which cruises along at speeds varying from I8. r > miles
an hour for the DC-3 up to around 300 miles an hour for the

38

Constellation. This is two or three times as fast as your per-
sonal plane could operate at its maximum speed.

You'll be able to board a plane in New York at midnight
and arrive in Los Angeles at eight o'clock the next morning,
a trip of about eleven hours, allowing for the change in time.
Cost of the trip will be about the same as the cost for first-
class railroad fare plus Pullman and meals, or $138.85 each
way. Within ten years after the war, airline fares may be
reduced to the point where it will actually be cheaper to Hy
than to ga by railroad coach. Imagine going from coast to
coast by air for only $55!

Parking lots for planes may be provided at major air
terminals over the country so that private plane owners
can fly in from nearby communities. After parking their
planes, they can board giant airliners to carry thein great
distances.

The question is yours to answer

Americans will do more traveling after World War II than
ever before in their history. Commercial airlines will cross
the country in every direction. They will link the United
States with every major nation in the world, Railroad facili-
ties will probably be improved, with more streamlined, air-
conditioned trains operating at increased speed and comfort.
Superhighways will permit faster and safer automobile
navel.

Will these developments make it safer or faster or cheaper
or more comfortable or more practical to travel by train.
drive your own car, take a commercial airliner, or fly a plane
of your own? Will private Hying remain primarily for the
wealthy sportsman or Hying hobbyist? Or will it be a sound',
safe, and sensible practice in the postwar daily life of the
average American?

40

Should "aerocouits" similar to motor courts, be provided
at airports and air parks, where private flyers on cross-country
trips could secure overnight accommodations at low cost?
Under ivhat conditions would you fly yourself from Chicago
to New Orleans? Fly in an airliner? Would it pay a traveling
man to fly his own plane all lite time or make use of airliners?
Will the expansion of air transport to many cities now with-
out commercial air service tend to reduce the number of
private planes sold?

TO THE DISCUSSION LEADER

Man's AGE-OLD drkam of flying has been realized within the
lifetime of men and women barely past middle age. As this
pamphlet is written, Orville Wright, one of the American
brothers who made the first successful airplane flight, is still
alive.

Americans are air minded. While Army and Navy flyers
have been shooting down Germans and Japs in terrific sky
battles, their sons and little brothers back home have been
building and Hying model planes. Pilots, aircrew and ground
crew men, little brothers, and the men and women who arc
building the planes all wonder what will happen in avia-
tion after the war.

Private Hying is part of the postwar aviation picture. It
may concern the personal interests of more people than does

41

commercial aviation. It will involve personal decisions in

individual homes: whether the family should buy a plane,
whether members of the family should take flying lessons.
Private flying is both a personal and a community problem.

Making discussion effective

Your problem as leader is to bring out the pro and con facts
about private flying and to stimulate worth-while discussion
among persons attending your discussion meeting.

You will hud War Department Education Manual, KM 1.
Gl Roundtable: Guide for Discussion Leaders, filled with
instructions and helpful suggestions on techniques of organ-
izing and conducting group discussions. You can adapt these
to your discussion of private flying— and to all other subjects
in the GI Roundtable series.

If you should wish to broadcast, your discussion program
on a radio station or sound system of the Armed Forces
Radio Service, you will find practical suggestions on radio
discussion techniques in War Department Education Man-
ual, EM 90: Cd Radio Round table.

Private flying can be discussed by any of the usual discus-
sion methods: forum, panel, symposium, or general group
discussion. The size of your group and the facilities of your
meeting place will help determine the method you use.

One suggestion for a forum meeting is that you invite
some prominent flyer, either military or civilian —prefer-
ably one who had private flying experience before the war -
to relate his experiences and give his views on the future of
private flying.

Ji you could obtain two or more experienced flyers to
speak, to your group, you could use a panel or symposium
method. General group discussion will follow, of course, any
type of introductory talks.

41

Some members of your discussion group may have private
dying experience which would provide a valuable addition
to information given in this pamphlet. You should make full
use of them and of questions raised by members of your
group.

Persons attending your meetings will probably be inter-
filed in any good posters or photographs of small planes of
the type suitable for private flying. You could display these
on walls of your meeting place, or pass them among mem-
bers of your group if llie group is small.

Additional questions for discussion

Questions suitable for discussion have been grouped at vari-
ous points in the text of this pamphlet. You are encouraged
to amplify these and to use your own initiative fully in out-
lining your program and planning your discussion meeting.
Additional questions pertaining to important phases of pri-
vate Hying are listed below.

1

What are basic factors you would consider in reaching a
decision on whether to take up private flying? Can private
planes be made so useful that they will become a necessity
for many people? Will the initial and operating costs alone
prevent wide ownership of private planes? If you had the
money to buy cither ;i good automobile or a small plane,
which would you purchase? Why?

2

What qualities would you most desire in your own plane?
Is it possible for an airplane to be foolproof? Would you
prefer a metal or molded plastic plane? Why? If you could
choose between a speedy jet-propelled plane and a conven-
tional propeller-driven plane, which would you select? What
do you regard as the major difficulties in selecting your plane?

3
What requirements should be set up to protect buyers
against acquiring defective planes? Should sales agencies con-
duct their own flying schools for the instruction of private
ilyers? What should be minimum requirements for the train-
ing of private flyers in operation of planes and reading of
navigational instruments? Should every potential pilot be
required to take a course in radio operation?

4
How can the would-be flyer determine the best type of
engine for his needs? Clan you depend on converted military
planes being sound and safe? Will the use of converted mili-
tary planes for private flying discourage the manufacture of
special new models lor this purpose?

5
How would you suggest organizing an nviation club in
your community? Will benefits of a local airhcld to an
average community justify the use of public funds lor con.
struction and maintenance? Would a community benelii
more by encouraging private Hying or by supporting com
inerctal "feeder airlines" to connect with airports on main
transcontinental airlines? Will military pilots accustomed
to speedy planes with great maneuverability be a menace to
community safety when Hying small planes with low speeds
and limited maneuverability? Will military ground crews be
as much interested as trained military pilots in postwar pri-
vate flying? Do you want your son or daughter to learn to
pilot a plane? Should periodic inspection of all private air-
planes be required by law? Do you believe government regu-
lations should be increased as private Hying grows and the
number of airplanes increases?

44

"What regulations should govern private flyers wishing to
fly to Canada, Mexico, or more distant foreign countries?
Would the cost and responsibility of owning and piloting
your own plane increase or decrease your enjoyment of a
vacation? A business trip? What are basic advantages of travel
by air? Disadvantages? What kind of travel gives the most
benefit: travel by plane, train, or automobile? Why?

FOR FURTHER READING

These books are suggested for supplementary reading if
you have access to tlicra or wish to purchase them from the
publishers. They are not necessarily approved nor officially
supplied by the War Department. They have been selected
because they give additional information and represent dif-
ferent points of view.
Official Guide to the Army Air Forces. Published by

Pocket Books, Inc.. New York 20. N. Y. (19-14). $.25.
Guide to Navai. Aviation. Uy Lieut. Wallace W. Elton.
USNR, and others. Published by McGraw-Hill Book Co.,
330 West 42d St., Mew York 18.N.Y. (If) 14). $2.50.
Tiif Airplane and Tomorrow's WoRux By Waldemar
Kaempifert. No. 78 of Public Affairs Pamj/iilt'ls, published
by Public Affairs Committee, 30 Rockefeller Ph/a. New
York 20, N.Y. (1943). $.10

45

Maps, and How To Understand Them. Published by Con-
solidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, P. O. Box 157, New
York, N. Y. ( 1943). Free on request.

Science ofPre-Flight Aeronautics. By Aviation Education
Research Group, Teachers College, Columbia University.
Published by Macmillan Co., GO Fifth Ave., New York 11,
N.Y. (1942). $1.32.

Wings after War. By S. Paul Johnston. Published by Duel I,
Sloan and Pearce, 270 Madison Ave., New York 16, N. Y.
(1944). $2.00.

Tomorrow We Fly. By William B- Stout and Franklin M.
Rock. Published by Thomas Y. Crowd] Co., 452 Fourth
Ave., New York 10, N. Y. (1013). $2.00.

46

OTHER Gl ROUNDTABLE SUBJECTS

Inundiictury rnpies ol each new C! RoumUahle pamphlei arc
antmnaiically issued to information-education officers in the
United States and war th&ktcrs. Additions] copies art 1 authorized
on the basis of two to a company or similar organization. Pam
pliJcis may be requisitioned Irom the 1 tailed Males Aimed Forces
Insiiiute. Madison 3, Wisconsin, or from the nearest USAF1 Over-
sea Branch. Lisi KM number, GJ Roundtablc series, title, and
quantity. New subjects will be announced as published. Subjects
now available:

KM l. (imiik for Discussion Leaders

km 2, What Is Propaganda?

KM 10, What Small Rf Done about Germany amir the War£

KM II. What Sham, Be Dora with the \V\r Criminal*.*

KM 12, Can We Privum Fin em Wars?

KM 13, I low Sham. l.l-Mi-I.EASE ACCOUNTS 111 SETTLED?

KM II, Is THE Coon Nku.hkoh I'oi hi \ Si<*>*v-

KM )5. What Sham. Br Dome about Japan after Victory?

KM 20. What Has Alaska To Offer Postwar Pioneers?

KM 22. Win. I here IVr Work for Alt?

KM 23. Wha (ioiii'v What Are They? How n«i Cues Work?

km 24, Wiiai Lies Ahead for ihi Philippines?

KM 30. Can War Marriages Be Maw To Work? •

KM 31. I>o Vur Wam Voir Wife To Work after iiii, War*

KM 32. Shall I lU'iin a Hocse after 1 he War?

EM S3, What Will Vopr Town B. Like?

KM $4, Sham. I Go Back, to School?

km 3.7. Sbau r Take rjr Fakhwc?

KM 36. Dors It Tat To Borrow?

km 10, Will no French Rh-ureu; i.ive Acain?

KM 41, Our British Am

km 12. Oir Chinese Ally

KM 13. Kin Balkans — Mani Peoples, Many Problems

km 11. Australia! Or* Nmc.iibor "Down 1 iindih"

KM \"i. What Fi'iiirk r« iih Islam** oi- 1 m- V w »-H:f

K.M Hi. Our Russian Ally

KM !M*. CI Rai»k> Roimhabie

For distribnifon iu 1 lie- United States only.

•A U 5 r.OWL.NNUCN-1 PRINTING OFFICE. 1945 — CBG930

For sate hy ehe Superinlrndcnt <>t Documents, U. S. Covemmptil Printing Office

Washington 2*. D. C.